2002 Lexus GS300 airbag

SECTION 1 ± 6
73
INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
Comfort adjustment
Front seats74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Head restraints77 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tilt and telescopic steering wheell79. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Outside rear view mirrors80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inside rear view mirror82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seat belts86 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SRS airbags94 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Child restraint108 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving position memory system127 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
74
FRONT SEATS
Front seat precautions
CAUTION
The side airbags are installed in the driver and front
passenger seats. Observe the following precautions.
Do not lean over the front door when the vehicle is in
use. Otherwise, the side airbag inflates with
considerable speed and force; you may be killed or
severely injured.
Do not use accessories for the seats which cover the
parts where the side airbags inflate. Such
accessories may prevent the side airbags from
activating correctly, causing death or serious injury.
Do not modify or replace the seats or upholstery of
the seats with side airbags. Such changes may
disable the system, or cause the side airbags to
inflate accidentally, resulting in death or serious
injury. Consult your Lexus dealer if you insist on
modifications of this kind.
Seat adjustment precautions
Adjust the driver's seat so that the foot pedals, steering wheel
and instrument panel controls are within easy reach of the
driver.
CAUTION
Do not adjust the seat while the vehicle is moving as
the seat may unexpectedly move and cause the
driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Be careful that the seat does not hit a passenger,
luggage, or the rear seat.
NOTICE
Do not operate the control switch in more than one
dimension at a time. It may cause electrical overload.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
86
CAUTION
When doing the circling calibration, be sure to secure
a wide space, and watch out for people and vehicles
in the neighborhood. Do not violate any local traffic
rules while performing circling calibration.
Do not adjust the display while the vehicle is moving.
Be sure to adjust the display only when the vehicle is
stopped.
SEAT BELTS
Seat belt precautions
Lexus strongly urges that the driver and passengers in the
vehicle be properly restrained at all times with the seat belts
provided. Failure to do so could increase the chance of injury
and/or the severity of injury in accidents.
Child. Use a child restraint system appropriate for the child
until the child becomes large enough to properly wear the
vehicle's seat belts. See ºChild restraintº on page 108 for
details.
If a child is too large for a child restraint system, the child should
sit in the rear seat and must be restrained using the vehicle's
seat belt. According to accident statistics, the child is safer
when properly restrained in the rear seat than in the front seat.
If a child must sit in the front seat, the seat belts should be worn
properly. Do not let the child sit on your lap. It does not provide
sufficient restraint. If an accident occurs and the seat belts are
not worn properly, the force of the rapid inflation of the airbag
may cause severe injury to the child.
Do not allow the child to stand up or kneel on either rear or front
seats. An unrestrained child could suffer serious injury or
death during emergency braking or a collision.
Pregnant woman. Lexus recommends the use of a seat belt.
Ask your doctor for specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as possible over the hips
and not on the waist.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
91
CAUTION
After inserting the tab, make sure the tab and buckle
are locked and that the belt is not twisted.
Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the buckle as this
may prevent you from properly latching the tab and
buckle.
If the seat belt does not function normally,
immediately contact your Lexus dealer. Do not use
the seat until the seat belt is fixed. It cannot protect
an adult occupant or your child from injury.
Front seat belt pretensioners
16G132b
The driver and front passenger's seat belt pretensioners
are designed to be activated in response to a severe
frontal impact.
When the airbag sensor detects the shock of a severe frontal
impact, the front seat belts are quickly drawn back by the
retractor so that the belts snugly restrain the front seat
occupants.
The front passenger seat belt pretensioner will not activate if
there is no passenger sitting in the front passenger seat.
However, the front passenger seat belt pretensioner may
activate if luggage is put in the seat, or the seat belt is buckled
up regardless of the presence of the occupant in the seat.
Collisions occurring at certain speeds and angles may cause
the seat belt pretensioners and SRS airbags not to operate all
together.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
92
16G022
This indicator comes on when the ignition key is turned to
the ªONº position. It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the front seat belt pretensioners are operating
properly.
This warning light system monitors the airbag sensor
assembly, front airbag sensors, side airbag sensors, curtain
shield airbag sensors, occupant detection sensor, seat belt
buckle switch, front seat belt pretensioner assemblies,
inflators, warning light, interconnecting wiring and power
sources. (For details, see ºService reminder indicators and
warning buzzersº on page 41.)
16G134a

1Front airbag sensor
2Front seat belt pretensioner assembly
3SRS warning light
4Airbag sensor assembly
5Occupant detection sensor
6Seat belt buckle switch
The front seat belt pretensioner system consists mainly of the
above components, and their locations are shown in the
illustration.
The front seat belt pretensioners are controlled by the airbag
sensor assembly. The airbag sensor assembly consists of a
safing sensor and airbag sensor.
When the front seat belt pretensioners are activated, an
operating noise may be heard and a small amount of
smoke±like gas may be released. This gas is harmless and
does not indicate that a fire is occurring.
Once the front seat belt pretensioners have been activated, the
seat belt retractors remain locked.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
93
CAUTION
Do not modify, remove, strike or open the front seat belt
pretensioner assemblies, airbag sensor or surrounding
area or wiring. Doing any of these may cause sudden
operation of the front seat belt pretensioners or disable
the system, which could result in death or serious
injury.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death
or serious injury.
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without
consulting your Lexus dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the front seat belt
pretensioners in some cases.
Installation of electronic devices such as a mobile
two±way radio, cassette tape player or compact disc
player.
Repairs on or near the front seat belt retractor
assemblies.
Modification of the suspension system.
Modification of the front end structure.
Attachment of a grille guard (bull bar, kangaroo bar,
etc.), snowplow, winches or any other equipment to
the front end.
Repairs made on or near the front fenders, front end
structure or console.
16G022
This front seat belt pretensioner system has a service
reminder indicator to inform the driver of operating problems.
If any of the following conditions occurs, this indicates a
malfunction of the pretensioners. Contact your Lexus dealer
as soon as possible to service the vehicle.
When the ignition key is turned to the ªONº position, the light
does not come on or flashes.
The light flashes while driving.
If either front seat belt does not retract or cannot be pulled
out due to a malfunction or activation of the relevant front
pretensioner.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
94
16G136
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible.
The front parts of the vehicle (shaded in the illustration)
were involved in an accident that did not cause the front seat
belt pretensioners to operate.
Either front seat belt pretensioner assembly or surrounding
area is scratched, cracked, or otherwise damaged.
SRS AIRBAGS
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) airbags are
designed to provide further protection for the driver and
front passenger in addition to the primary safety
protection provided by the seat belts.
16G020c

Driver and front passenger airbags
In response to a severe frontal impact, the driver and front
passenger airbags work together with the seat belts to
help reduce injury by inflating. The driver and front
passenger airbags help to reduce injuries mainly to the
driver's or front passenger's head or chest directly hitting
the steering wheel or dashboard.
The front passenger airbag will not activate if there is no
passenger sitting in the front passenger seat. However, the
front passenger airbag may deploy if luggage is put in the seat,
or the seat belt is buckled up regardless of the presence of the
occupant in the seat.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
95 Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and diagnostic
module, which will record the use of the seat belt restraint
system by the driver when the front airbags are inflated.
Be sure to wear your seat belt properly.
CAUTION
The driver or front passenger who is too close to the
steering wheel or dashboard during airbag deployment
can be killed or seriously injured. Lexus strongly
recommends that:
The driver sit as far back as possible from the
steering wheel while still maintaining control of the
vehicle.
The front passenger sit as far back as possible from
the dashboard.
All vehicle occupants be properly restrained using
the available seat belts.
16G021b

Side airbags
In response to a severe side impact, the side airbags for
the driver or front passenger work together with the seat
belts to help reduce injury by inflating. The side airbags
help to reduce injuries mainly to the driver's or front
passenger's chest.
The side airbag on the passenger seat will not activate if there
is no passenger sitting in the front passenger seat. However,
the side airbag on the passenger seat may deploy if luggage
is put in the seat, or the seat belt is buckled up regardless of
the presence of the occupant in the seat.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and diagnostic
module, which will record the use of the seat belt restraint
system by the driver when the side airbags are inflated.
Be sure to wear your seat belt properly.